COVID-19 Resources

Unemployment Response

Upcoming Deadline: Regional Microenterprise Program

On Friday, May 15, the MA Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) released an opportunity for non-entitlement communities to apply for Community Development Block Grant CARES Act funding.

There is $9.65 million available to municipalities to fund microenterprise assistance and public social assistance. Individual communities can receive up to $400,000. The deadline for applications is Friday, June 5.

Unemployment Response Plans

Where can municipalities get unemployment data? What systems should cities and towns have in place to assist their residents? How can municipalities work with career centers? If an official is contacted by an employer who's hiring, what should they do?

As COVID-19 causes layoffs throughout the state and country, municipalities are hearing from residents concerned about unemployment. Often, they don't have the data necessary to assess the problem at a local level. Many don't have a plan in place to respond to increased unemployment in the community.

Meanwhile, career centers and other local resources often have the information and resources that residents are looking for.

MAPC is partnering with Mass Hire Career Centers to produce unemployment response plans for Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Revere, and Somerville. The project is funded by DTLA and the City of Somerville.

As the situation changes in real time and municipalities need immediate solutions, MAPC will be providing recommendations and data throughout the planning process. Final action plans will be completed in mid to late May.

As the planning process continues, we hope that our work can act as a template for other municipalities.

More on COVID-19

Questions?

MAPC stands ready to assist your community and the region during this time.

If you have questions or would like to work with MAPC on an unemployment response plan, contact Economic Development Manager Betsy Cowan at bcowan@mapc.org.

Response plans will include:

COVID-19 Layoff Reports

Although unemployment information isn't reported at the local level, layoff reports will include rough estimates of local unemployment data.

Hiring Information

Information on what occupations are currently hiring (such as public health departments and grocery stores), with community-specific details of hiring opportunities and information on the safety implications of working in the available positions.

Long-Term Planning

Plans will address short- and long-term workforce development training needs as social distancing measures become less necessary. They'll also provide advice for systems cities and towns can put in place to respond to major unemployment events in the future.

Unemployment Resources

MAPC is currently compiling a list of unemployment resources for our communities. As we learn more about additional programs, we will be sure to include them in this list.

If you have any additional resources, or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Betsy Cowan, Chief of Economic Development, at bcowan@mapc.org.

Unemployment benefits are currently available to workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own, ready and able to accept work, actively seeking work, and whose past income meets a minimum amount based on a 12-month base period. Expanded unemployment benefits are accessible under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and include the following in addition to state benefits:

A weekly supplemental payment of $600 on top of any state-provided unemployment benefits until July 31, 2020.

An additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits, up to a maximum of 39 weeks, for people who have exhausted their state benefits.

Unemployment benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program for independent contractors, gig workers, self-employed individuals, people with limited work histories, and others who may not normally qualify, including those who cannot work or who are partially unemployed due to being ill or quarantined as a result of coronavirus, caring for someone who has coronavirus, or caring for a child whose school is closed due to coronavirus.

Reimbursement to states for the first week of unemployment benefits for individuals living in states where the first week is not normally covered.

A requirement that states consider relaxing the “actively seeking work” requirement for those who have exhausted regular unemployment benefits if their ability to do so is affected by COVID-19.

State Benefits Related to Coronavirus: Benefits are available to people who have been quarantined due to COVID-19, regardless of whether they are scheduled to return to the same job after the quarantine. Benefits may be available to employees who leave their jobs due to a reasonable fear of exposure to coronavirus. Partial benefits may be available to employees who are working reduced hours due to COVID-19. The work search requirement is not waived except for employees who are scheduled to return to the same job after a quarantine, who must also remain in reasonable contact with the employer.

State Programs

Commonwealth of Massachusetts COVID-19 Unemployment Resources

State agencies will apply existing unemployment law flexibly related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The fastest way to file a claim is to apply for unemployment benefits online.

Unemployment insurance (UI) helps workers who lose their jobs or have their hours reduced recover lost wages. An employee impacted by COVID-19 does not necessarily need to be severed from their job to be eligible and coverage for this benefit has been expanded to include some workers who are not traditionally eligible, such as the self-employed and part-time workers affected by COVID-19. Here are some UI resources:

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) provides up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits to individuals who are unable to work because of a COVID-19-related reason but are not eligible for regular or extended unemployment benefits.

EOLWD manages the Commonwealth’s workforce development and labor departments to ensure that workers, employers, and the unemployed have the tools and training needed to succeed in the Massachusetts economy. Provided are the links to these departments:

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.

To provide relief to student loan borrowers during the COVID-19 national emergency, federal student loan borrowers are automatically being placed in an administrative forbearance, which allows you to temporarily stop making your monthly loan payment. This suspension of payments will last until Sept. 30, 2020.

MAPC

Promoting Smart Growth & Regional Planning

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is the regional planning agency serving the people who live and work in the 101 cities and towns of Metropolitan Boston. Our mission is to promote smart growth and regional collaboration. Our regional plan, MetroFuture, guides our work as we engage the public in responsible stewardship of our region’s future.